About Cancer (June 21st – July 21st)

There are twelve signs in the Zodiac, one for each month of the year. Unfortunately, the signs and the calendar don’t align perfectly. The Zodiac begins in mid-March, not on January 1st and signs span from roughly the 20th or 21st of one month to the 19th or 20th of the next, not the 1st to the 31st.

When someone asks you what your sign is, they’re referring to your Sun Sign — where the Sun was in the Zodiac at the exact moment of your birth. But every other planet in your birth chart is also located in a particular sign, and is influenced by that sign’s unique energy. This explains why everyone who’s born under the influence of the same Sun Sign can still have such vastly different personalities: each of us is made up of a complex and unique combination of influences from the twelve signs, the twelve houses and all the planets, asteroids and points. And having lots of planets in a certain sign in your chart will only intensify that sign’s influence in your life.

Cancer is symbolized by the Crab, which makes a lot of sense when you take that sensitive, emotional nature into account. When things get tense, Cancer goes into self-protection mode, pulling into its shell until the trouble clears.

A Cardinal Water Sign, emotional Cancer is ruled by the Moon, which explains that ultra-sensitive moodiness. But Cancer isn’t all about protecting itself; not even close. This sign is the caretaker of the Zodiac, and will go to great lengths to keep its loved ones safe and supported. Cancers are nothing if not deeply connected with their families, and would do anything for their friends as well — even if it doesn’t always seem like it. Cancer can come across as a very introverted sign, but that doesn’t mean they don’t care. This sign can get so emotional that it doesn’t know how to express itself, and there’s that handy shell again, ready for Cancer to retreat to.

For this reason, Cancers need to surround themselves with caring types who understand their moods, which can fluctuate as often as the Moon — as in, every day! And in return, this sign will offer its friends and family the gift of steadfast devotion and support. Cancer’s interest in family goes deeper than the immediate present, by the way. This sign is a natural historian with its interest in ancestry, genealogy and lineage. They’ll just as happily spend hours mapping their family tree as they will cooking up a feast for their loved ones.